NYC trends: Momofuku

Fun Fact: there is no dictionary definition of Momofuku, so we can disregard the name as meaning anything important and instead we can focus on the food.

Momofuku is best known around the nation for their Milk Bar , but I’d rather save the best for last so lets talk about their other restaurants. Last summer I decided to explore the Noodle Bar NYC. Based on its name, I had to order one,okay, two (I’m indecisive) bowls. I got the Spicy Miso Ramen – smoked chicken, poached egg, sesame and the Momofuku Ramen – pork belly, pork shoulder, poached egg . To be honest, I am not sure I would eat it again, but it was fun to eat and gave my taste buds a bit of a shock. The one thing I, surprisingly, enjoyed was the poached egg in the noodles and broth. It is something I would never think of putting in my soups, but I really loved the buttery yolk paired with the spicy brother, the outer part of the egg’s texture mimicked the noodles, which made me immediately forget that there was even an egg in my soup. (just saying it makes it sound yucky). I also ordered the Brisket Buns – horseradish, pickled red onion, cucumber… they were a bit exotic and out of my comfort zone, but as I’ve said before, I was taught if brisket is on the menu, I must order it. The sweetness of the bun together with the cabbage and the pickled cucumber created a really neat taste and texture.I wasn’t really able to compose perfect bites, but when I deconstructed the bun, I found that the brisket wasn’t easily pulled apart like I was used to. It had a chicken like texture, which worked well with the smooth bun and crunchy cabbage and cucumber. Alone it was mediocre at best. I don’t really suggest the buns unless you’re accustomed to them, and know how to tackle them. It’s like tacos, but asian.

Milk Bar is best known across the nation because you do not need to physically go to the location to enjoy their decadent sweets. You could order them to be delivered anywhere (it comes with a steep price of course). The only thing you need to actually go to the store front (it is barely bigger than any Baked By Melissa in NYC) is for their cereal milk ice cream. Cereal milk ice cream brings me back to my childhood, sipping the milk thats left over after I finish the bowl of captain crunch, lucky charms (always had that blue/green tint from the marshmallows) or even cinnamon toast crunch! This soft-serve is not the same taste though. I actually think it has a salty kick to it. Honestly, I ate the captain crunch of the sides, took a few bites of the soft-serve and said la vie. It was not my type. I am 1000% a vanilla soft-serve kind of gal with the occasional venture over to the more chocolaty vanilla option: cookies ‘n’ cream. I would not go out of my way to go to the store just for this.

If you’re not going to go to the store and you are going to order in, it’s in your best interest that I tell you about all the hidden gems on the website that most people forget to talk about. The cookies are delicious. Some of the best I’ve ever had. I suggest the compost cookie: packed with pretzels, potato chips, coffee, oats, butterscotch and chocolate chips. It’s salty and sweet, really everything you could want in a cookie and more! Also, if you like a lighter butteryer cookie I suggest the blueberry and cream cookie, however, the best cookie of all is the cornflake-chocolate-chip- marshmallow one. Think about it. A s’mores, but instead of graham cracker you have cornflakes in a cookie. The texture and taste are beyond words. You’ll be sad when that last bite is swiped by your friend. (Trust me order two)

The birthday cake! Not overrated at all! It is so beyond phenomenal.The funfetti yellow cake, with the cream cheese frosting and balls of sugar/cake batter on top is out of this world. I might be a vanilla birthday cake fan, and I may like the ones from Costco and your local grocery store, but I LOVE this birthday cake. I could probably eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner on my birthday and be more than satisfied. I would forgo all other birthday treats for just one of these bad boys. I’m telling you if you’re ever left with an unlimited budget to get a friend, or yourself, a cake get this one!

The birthday cake is really divine, however, it is hard to rationalize getting a whole cake when it is not yours nor your friend’s birthday. The solution are these cake balls, known as truffles. They usually come in three flavors the constant being b’day truffles, and the others are currently chocolate malt cake truffles and dulce de leche truffles. While they seems to be the same as the adornment on the birthday cake they are not. These truffles are softer, and taste more like the cream cheese frosting than just cake mix and sprinkles. They’re overwhelmingly sweet– really just a treat. I promise it is difficult to eat more than one without feeling sick to your stomach.

Finally, I want to tell you all about my favorite sweet made by Momofuku, which has now

picture was taken with the original iPhone

become somewhat extinct. The Franken pie was a creation that Momofuku made just a little over 4 years ago. it was a combination of their three pie options. The first being the candy bar pie (has a pretzel on top) –chocolate crust, caramel, peanut butter nougat, pretzels, the grasshopper pie — mint cheesecake, brownie filling, graham crust and the only survivor of the Franken pie is the crack pie–toasted oat crust, gooey butter filling. The crack pie is out of this world. It is better than any gooey butter bar I’ve had in St.Louis, which is famous for their gooey butter bars. Every bite is perfectly buttery, sweet and a little salty. I highly suggest you try a bite at least one time in your life! I am so sorry that they no longer make the Franken pie, but their new addition of the compost cookie cake looks amazing. Something I absolutely plan on trying soon!

Momofuku, despite its lack of dictionary meaning, has come to mean the BEST sweet treats to indulge, which complimented by their saltier asian fusion connotation from their restaurants.